When there has been injury to the ankle, an orthopedist is cognizant of bone fracture, or sprains or ligament tears, and is greatly assisted by X-ray examination and filming. The foot and ankle are somewhat difficult to assess in this manner as the foot is difficult to immobilize, especially when very painful. If not properly positioned, the result is to have to repeat the X-ray which causes delay, added expense, and unnecessary addition of pain and radiation to the patient.
The medical personnel cannot rely on a patient in pain to hold his foot in a certain position to obtain the X-ray. When an orthopedic surgeon has to check the alignment of an ankle he is operating on, an unconscious person cannot hold his foot in position. It then becomes necessary for the medical personnel to actually hold the foot in the proper position. Some medical teams tie something around the foot pulling it inward as they stand at a distance away from the radiation. This results in repeating the X-ray if the positioning is incorrect.